State police arrest three and seize 46 grams of heroin in two Taunton traffic stops

Friday

Apr 4, 2014 at 11:38 AMApr 9, 2014 at 8:11 AM

Charles Winokoor Taunton Gazette Staff Reporter @cwinokoor

TAUNTON — State police arrested two city men on charges of heroin trafficking in a pair of unrelated incidents Thursday night in Taunton.

Both Kevin Camara, 29, of 282 Bay St., and 35-year-old Waldemar Rivera, last known address 30 Maple St., were arraigned Friday in Taunton District Court on a single charge of trafficking 18 or more grams of heroin.

Camara is also charged with conspiracy to violate a drug law.

Judge Mary Elizabeth Heffernan set bail at $5,000 each for Rivera and Camara. Bristol County Assistant District Attorney Katie Rayburn had requested bail for each be set at $10,000.

A third man, Kevin Miles, 38, of 15 Rush Pond Road, Lakeville, was allegedly driving the car in which Camara was a passenger and was charged with being where heroin is kept and conspiracy to violate a drug law.

Miles was held in lieu of $500 bail.

More than 50 grams of heroin was taken off the streets as a result of the three arrests, police said.

Rivera was arrested at 8:40 p.m. after police said they observed him for an extended period in the area of Granite and Tremont streets, during which he made several cellphone calls while walking around, according to the state police report.

When a state trooper approached Rivera, he allegedly ran and tossed away packages containing more than 28 grams of heroin, according to a state police press release. The trooper and other officers caught up with him and took him into custody, police said.

The trooper was in the area, according to the police report, to help local police contend with an increase of heroin dealing and overdoses in the city during the past four to five months.

No one was injured as a result of the foot chase, police said.

Camara and Miles were arrested by two state troopers after one of them pulled Miles over for speeding at around 7 p.m. on Oak Street, police said.

When a trooper asked Camara if he was holding any drugs, he alledgedly handed over “two fingers” of heroin equaling 25 grams, according to the police report.

Police said they also seized $2,500 in cash from Miles’ car after a search of the vehicle. Both Camara and Miles were taken to state police barracks in Middleboro before being transported to court in Taunton on Friday.

Camara and Rivera face a minimum of two years in state prison if they are convicted.

Taunton police said nine people have died of heroin overdoses out of a total of 132 reported overdoses in the city since the beginning of the year.

Taunton police Chief Edward Walsh said members of the state police Community Action Team have been helping not just Taunton, but also police departments in New Bedford and Brockton.

“They’re very good and help us with some things we don’t have the manpower to do,” Walsh said.

He said CAT troopers typically patrol and conduct surveillance in Taunton one to two times a week.